Page 246 of Risking the Pucking Defense

“No.” She laughs. “I do now, though.”

“Oh yeah? I want to hear everything you think about me while I’m away. It’s when you’re naked, right?”

“You’re a nightmare.” She laughs.

“Yep, but I’m your nightmare. Oh, are we stopping?” I ask when I spot a gas station sign ahead.

“Yes, we’re stopping. We need snacks.”

With more food than we could possibly consume during the drive home, we set off again.

The more we drive, the more relaxed Hailee gets, and I start to believe this could be the start of a whole new her. I just need to find as many excuses as possible to get her behind the wheel. She’s proven she can do it. Now she just needs to get used to it until it becomes as natural as breathing.

“I’ve got a confession too,” I admit when we’re getting closer to home.

“Oh?” she asks, more than a little intrigued.

“Before Rylee died, we started planning a foundation that would support children fighting cancer.”

“Hayden, that’s incredible.”

“I haven’t done anything with it yet. But I’ve started thinking about it more and more recently. I think I’m ready to start making moves to get it happening. Would you…would you help me?”

“I’d be honored. Although I must admit, I don’t exactly have any experience with that sort of thing.”

“But you know people who do, right?”

“Uh, yeah. I could introduce you to some people.”

“I’ve got money aside to get it started. Rylee planned it all, even down to the kind of events she’d like to have to raise funds. I just don’t really know how to get it all started.”

Dropping one of her hands to mine, which is still resting on her thigh, she twists our fingers together and squeezes tight. “I’d be honored to help with it.”

Emotion crawls up my throat at the thought of bringing Rylee’s foundation to life. We spent so much time discussing it, and I made her a promise that one day, it would raise hundreds of thousands of dollars and help thousands of kids who are forced to fight the same fight she did.

“I wish I could have met her,” Hailee whispers. “I bet she was amazing.”

“She was,” I force out.

“Your parents are awesome.”

“They love you. I know thirty might be a bit old to gain a set of parents, but you know that’s what’s happened, right? You’re one of us now.”

“I don’t think you’re ever too old to find your family. You’ve been proving that to me every day since Linc and Parker’s wedding.” She pulls to a stop at a red light and looks over, taking in the state of my face. “How are you holding up?”

“I’m…I can’t wait to get into bed,” I confess.

“Not long.”

“Are you still going to wear nothing but your jersey for me?”

“Who says I’m not already doing that?” she teases.

“You said you had panties on?” I breathe, my heart rate picking up.

“Maybe I took them off in the restroom at the gas station.”

My breath catches.